Results Coppa Sabatini 2026 - Benoit Cosnefroy denies Giulio Pellizzari the Tuscan double with last-gasp Peccioli victory
Cycling
Benoit Cosnefroy denied Giulio Pellizzari a second victory in as many days by winning the 2026 Coppa Sabatini with a late counter-attack on the uphill finish in Peccioli.
Pellizzari, winner of the Giro della Toscana 24 hours earlier, had again put himself in position to fight for victory after attacking from the peloton with 25 kilometres remaining and bridging across to the remnants of the breakaway.
The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe rider then attacked again with 13 kilometres to go, dropping Samuele Battistella and Alex Molenaar before carrying a small advantage into the final kilometre.
Cosnefroy, however, produced the decisive response. The UAE Team Emirates – XRG rider counter-attacked with around 200 metres remaining and went on to take victory at the end of the steep final rise.
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Pellizzari bridges across before attacking again
The early break of Valentin Ferron and Samuele Zoccarato had been caught with 81 kilometres remaining before the race was reshaped by a series of later attacks.
Aleksandr Vlasov, Battistella and Molenaar eventually formed the leading trio, but Vlasov crashed with 30 kilometres remaining as the advantage of the move continued to fall.
Battistella and Molenaar remained 19 seconds clear with 26 kilometres to go when Pellizzari counter-attacked from the peloton. The Giro della Toscana winner bridged across to the pair and was subsequently recorded pulling in the breakaway.
Cosnefroy overturns late Pellizzari move
With 13 kilometres remaining, Pellizzari attacked again and Battistella and Molenaar were dropped. Tudor Pro Cycling Team took up the chase behind, with Michael Storer later pulling in the peloton as the gap continued to fluctuate.
Pellizzari still held a small advantage with 800 metres remaining, giving him the chance to complete a Tuscan double after his victory in Pontedera the previous day.
The steepest 200-metre section of the finale averaged 10.5%, and it was there that Cosnefroy made the decisive move. With around 200 metres remaining, the Frenchman counter-attacked and passed Pellizzari to seal victory in the 74th Coppa Sabatini.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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